Big Idea:
Want to win the life-sized teddy bear at the fair? After this lesson students will be able to calculate the probability of winning the bear!

Opener: As students enter the room, they will immediately pick up and begin working on the opener – Instructional Strategy - Process for openers. This method of working and going over the opener lends itself to allow students to construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others, which is mathematical practice 3.

Learning Target: After completion of the opener, I will address the day’s learning targets to the students. In today’s lesson, the intended target is, “I can identify the probability of certain, likely, unlikely, and impossible events, and I can calculate the probability of a simple event, and express it as a fraction, decimal, or percent.” Students will jot the learning targets down in their agendas (our version of a student planner, there is a place to write the learning target for every day).

Resources

Explanation of Practices: This lesson allows students to see the connection between probability and the real world - they will pull information out of problems to determine probability (MP 2) and they will use models to show probability (MP 4). Students will have to pay attention to precision when identifying the favorable outcomes (MP 6).

Resources

Table Discussion: To summarize the lesson, I will have students discuss the question: If I roll two die numbered 1-6, what is the probability of rolling a sum of 1? I have chosen this problem as a way to get students thinking about what all the possible sums could be- which leads them to considering the sample space, which foreshadows upcoming lessons. My main purpose was to open the floor for good discussion using this summary question – the answer is 0, it is impossible to get a sum of 1 if you roll 2 die. I am sure some students will fuss that it was a trick question – but my job is to work their brains….and this question does that! Instructional Strategy - Table Discussion

Homework: I will pass out the homework, and students will take the last couple minutes of class to look over the homework and ask any questions that they may have regarding the assignment. Philosophy on Homework

I love your lessons and truly appreciate them as a long-term substitute who wants to make sure my students are prepared for the tougher testing they will be going through in the spring. Thank you so much for sharing this resource.